Combined clamp and thimble



J. L. VOTAW AND M. 1. LA VANWAY.

COMBINED CLAMP AND THIMBLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12, l9l9.

Patented Nov. 25,1919.

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COMBINED CLAMP AND THIMBLE.

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, Application filed April 12, 1919.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, JOSEPH L. VOTAW and" MunrcN J. LA VANWAY, citizens of the United States, residing at Stigler, in the county of Haskell and State of Oklahoma; have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Clamps and Thimbles, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. 7

This invention relates to thimbles such as are used for forming a bight in a rope or cable.

or cable will be These thimbles are ordinarily approximately ovoidal in form and transversely semi-circular to receive the bend of the rope or cable, and the two portions of the rope or cable on each side of the thimble are held in engagement with the thimble by a wrapping of wire or cord.

The general object of this invention is to provide a combined rope clamp and thimble so constructed that a bight may be readily formed, further so constructed that the rope held firmly within the thimble and prevent it from accidental detachment therefrom, and further so constructed that the thimble may be clamped tightly upon the rope by means of bolts, thus preventing any chance of the rope slipping through the thiiv ble without the necessity of using a wrapping of wire or cord aroun the two ends of the rope or cable.

Still another object is to provide a construction of this kind formed of one piece of material.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description.

Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a face view of a blank from which the clamp and thimble are made;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing the clamp and thimble in use;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 4: is a section on the line 4--4c of Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the blank from which this improved thimble is constructed, and which blank is designated A, is formed to provide terminal portions 10 and 11 which extend in opposite directions relative to each other, and an intermediate portion 19. which connects the terminal portions. The terminal portions are Specification of. Letters Patent.

d formed by the PatentedNov. 25, 1919.

Serial m. 289,492;

provided with perforations 13 for the passage of clamping bolts.

This blank is bent to the shape shown in Figs. 2 and 3, that is the intermediate portion 12 of the blank is bent upon itself in approximately horseshoe shape so that the terminal ends 11 overlap each other and are disposed in superposed relation, with the perforations 13 in al'inement. The intermediate portion 12 of the blank i transversely curved so as to form a rope channel 1e. This rope channelll extends down to the edge of the terminal portion 10 and to the edge of the terminal portion 11. When the blank is bent to form a complete thimble, the rope channel where it intersects the terminal portion 1.0 opens upon the side faces of the terminal portions. Then the rope channel is twisted in a'slight spiral so that where the intermediate portion 12 channel With each terminal portion, the rope channel faces toward the opposite terminal portion. The outer margin of each terminal portion 10 and 11 is outwardly bent, as at 15, to form a clamping jaw which overlaps the rope channel of the other terminal portion so that when bolts 16 are disposed through the perforations 13, the two clamps terminal portions 10 and 11 will be drawn tightly against each other and will bind the rope between them.

It will be seen that the middle portion of the bight of the rope thus formed is supported in the rope channel with the flange of the rope channel extending equally on both sides of the rope so that there is no danger of the ropebecoming detached from this channel. The rope isalso held from any longitudinal movement in the channel by the clamping action of the terminal members.

A thimble of the character described is adapted to be used in any usual or ordinary been'illiistrated, yet it is obvious that many changes might be made in the details of construction Without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

We claim v 1. A combined thimble and rope clamp comprising a body having an intermediate portion bent to form a rope channel, end portions extending at rightangles to the intermediate portions and formed to provide clamps forming, contmuatlons of said channel, and means oppositely disposed rope extending throngh said end portions whereby they may be forced toward each other.

n el or" the other'terminal portion, and clamping bolts passing through saidtermlnal porportlons may be 4 2. A combined thimble and rope clamp comprising a body having an intermediate, transver ely curved rope receiving channel,

the ends of the bodv being vtormed with transverselv extendin terminal portions, the opposite extremities of each terminal being concavely curved to form atone end a con tinuation of the rope channel and at the :ether end a clam iin aw said terminal Jortlons being disposedin confronting relation to each other whereby the aw of one terminal portion will be opposed to the rope chan tions whereby the terminal urged toward each other within said channel.

rope. clamp comprising a blank of to v clamp a rope man formed to provide an intermediate, longltudlnallv extending portion, and a nositely directed terminal portions, the blank being bent in the shape of a horseshoe with the terminal portions facing and opposed to each other, the intermediate portion of the blank being' formed to provide a. transversely extending roperecelvmg channel, one end of each terminal ortion being formed with portion of the body portion being formed to provide opposed, transversely curved, rope clamps,

and clamping bolts passing through said terminal portions whereby urgedtoward each other to clamp the ends of a rope between them.

In testimony whereof we hereunto aflix our signatures inthe presence of two wita-n oi t'wardl y i Y ed iormed to provide horseshoe- I shaped, transversely curved channel, the ends they may be I nesses V JOSEPH L. VOTAVV. v

MERTON J LA VANl/VAY. V "Witnesses:

' 'J. Bonn, I. L. NORMAN, 

